The Death of Sleep
by Ryuko-chan
Summary: Dreams can seem so real, and don't they say that if you dream you die, you die? What can dreams teach us that death can't? Update Chapter 3: Fixed Amelia's Uncle's name, thanks to www.rah-tilt.net/sunshine
1. A Fire Extinguished

A Fire Extinguished

  
  
The wide open eye flinched in pain, and glazed over. The face looked down to its stomach, where a bloom of blood spread. The mouth gasped and choked nearly soundlessly. Three pairs of eyes looked over.  
  
"Lina?" said Gourry.  
  
"LINA!" Zel shouted.  
  
Amelia just gaped. She ran over, "No, Miss Lina, no.." she whispered, her head beginning to spin.  
  
Lina slowly collapsed to the ground, clutching her stomach as the blood continued to flow. Amelia put her hands on Lina's, ready to cast a healing spell. Lina faintly smiled, "Won't work.." she murmured, "It's too deep. Too far.. gone.." she said, coughing.  
  
Zelgadis and Gourry ran over, "NO! No, Lina! You'll survive, you have to survive!" Gourry shouted. 

Zel gazed at the spreading blood in total shock.  
  
Lina shook her head, "I can't, Gourry. I think I've used all my luck up. That dagger was spelled.. No healing magic will work.. None except the highest level white magic. Nothing but Resurrection will cure this. " She said weakly.  
  
"And.. none of us can do that.." Amelia said, eyes brimming with tears, "Miss Lina, you can't.." she said, tears streaming down her face.  
  
Lina weakly shook her head, "No. I can, and I am.. Don't be too sad, Amelia.. I had a good life, I suppose.." she reached out with a hand to smooth Amelia's hair, and rubbed her cheek fondly. 

Amelia felt a sinking in the pit of her stomach as the warm blood stained her own cheek. 

Lina smiled, eyes faraway, "You were like my little sister, Amelia.." she said, "Just like my very own little sister.." she said. Her hand dropped from Amelia's cheek, and she smiled distantly.  
  
Gourry covered his ears in anguish, "Lina, no.. I'm not.. You can't be. It's not true!" he said, eyes wide and empty.  
  
Lina shook her head, "It is true.. Gourry.. Gourry.. You were.. always there for me. You.. saved me when I... thank you, Gourry.." she said. She brought her hand to him, and he grabbed it.  
  
"Lina. No." he said, beginning to cry, "It can't be happening.." he said, washing her hand clean of blood with his hot tears.  
  
Lina closed her eyes, and then opened them again, "I'm so sorry." she said.  
  
Amelia was still trying to cast a healing spell, but nothing was happening. Zel reached out mutely, and pulled his hand away, sobbing bitterly.  
  
She turned her wide, nearly sightless eyes to him, and shivered, "Zel.. I'm sad I won't be around to see you cured.." She choked out, softly.  
  
Zel shook his head, eyes wide, "It's not true. It's not.." he said, as a mantra to himself..  
  
Lina smiled, "You people sure are stupid.. But. I find myself missing you already.. things are funny that way. I always thought that… That if I had enough luck, I could live through anything. But… I suppose this time I was taken by… surprise." her face twisted into a parody of a smile, "I'm so tired.. I'll miss you all." She said.  
  
Zel took her by the hand, "No." he said softly.  
  
She smiled, "I'll really miss you..." she said… and she closed her eyes. Tense moments passed, but they didn't open. Zel looked down at his bloody hands.. and gathered Lina up in his arms.  
  
Gourry touched her hair, and he took her limp body. He put his head down on it, and sobbed, "Why couldn't I save you? Why wasn't I paying attention? What…? Who...?" he cried over her limp form.  
  
Amelia sat down, legs unable to support her anymore.. and she cried, "Miss Lina.. No.. What.. No.. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?" she screamed, her hands in front of her face.  
  
Zel looked up at the stars, "Who. did . this…?" he murmured. He looked down, shoulders shaking, "WHO DID THIS???" He shouted, "Show yourselves! How could you.." he looked up, eyes dead of all emotion, "Show yourself." He said, drawing his sword, and pointing it at a shadow in the trees. 

The shadow stepped up, and said in an all-too-familiar voice, "I've killed her…"the figure stepped into the light, "I've finally killed her…" An otherworldly laugh issued from the woman. 

Zel gasped, and dropped his sword. Amelia and Gourry looked up.  
  
Gourry's eyes widened, "No.. It can't. SYLPHIEL!?!?" he shouted in anguish.  
  
The shrinemaiden smiled, "Finally, Gourry-dear.. we can be happy together.." she said with a smile.. And then…  
  
LIGHTNING FLASHED... 

A sweaty figure sat up, breathing hard, "It was.. a dream.. Only a dream." Lina said, eyes wide and dark. 

Amelia sat up, "What's the matter, Miss Lina?" she asked. 

Lina shook her head, "Nothing.. I just... Nothing.." she said. And she rolled over.


	2. A Light Put Out

A Light Put Out  
  
The next morning.  
  
"Gee.. I wonder what's for breakfast." Gourry murmured.  
  
Behind him, Amelia sighed, "Oh, Mr. Gourry, is that all you ever think about?"  
  
Gourry blinked, "Yeah. I suppose." He looked up at Lina, in front of him.. "What about you, Lina?" he asked.  
  
"Huh?" she said, as she hadn't been paying attention, "Oh, Sure.." she went back to walking..  
  
"What's wrong Lina?" he asked.  
  
"Bad dream.." Lina said.  
  
Gourry nodded, "I know what that's like." He said.  
  
Lina laughed, "No you don't.." she said.  
  
Gourry stopped, causing Amelia to bump into him, "Yeah, I do, Lina.." he said, "I'm sort of tired of you putting me down all the time.." he said.  
  
Behind Amelia, Zel raised an eyebrow, "I would have thought you'd be used to it by now.." he muttered.  
  
"Well, I'm not!" he said. Lina blinked.  
  
"Well, gee, Gourry. I'm sorry.." she murmured, "I didn't mean to insult you.."  
  
Gourry nodded, and smiled, "That's Okay." He said, and he started walking again, "what was your dream about, Lina?" he asked.  
  
Lina shrugged, "Stuff.." she murmured, "I don't exactly remember.." she lied.  
  
Gourry shrugged, "That's Okay, I forget stuff all the time.." he said.  
  
Lina giggled, "Oh, Gourry.." she said.  
  
Later on..  
  
"I'm starving!" Lina said, smiling. Gourry winced..  
  
"Actually.. I'm not that hungry anymore.." he said. He blinked. It was getting a little fuzzy around the edges. A voice came to him, but he wasn't really listening.  
  
"Mr. Gourry?" Amelia said, worried. He sat down heavily in the dusty road. Lina whirled.  
  
"Gourry?" she said. Amelia ran up, just as Gourry lay down in the road. She kneeled in the dust, and her hand touched his arm. She recoiled, and then put he hands on his forehead. She bit her lip.  
  
"Oh, Miss Lina.. He's burning up." She said.  
  
Zel raised an eyebrow, "How could it come on so quickly?" he asked. Gourry coughed, weakly.  
  
Lina smiled shakily, running over to him, "Oh.. he's fine, just a little.." she stopped as she put her hand on his forehead. His body was nearly caked in dirt and cold sweat.  
  
He shivered, "Lina, when did it get so cold in here?" he asked weakly.  
  
Lina looked up, all serious, "We have to get him to a doctor." She said.  
  
Amelia blinked, "It's. Miss Lina.. It's too late." She said. Gourry's eyes were open, but unseeing.  
  
Lina's eyes quivered, "Gou..Gourry?" she said.  
  
His glazed eyes blinked, "What's wrong, Lina?" he said, softly, "You sound so sad."  
  
Lina shook her head, the tears flowing, "Gourry, why didn't you tell us you were so sick?" she asked, almost as a rhetorical question.  
  
Gourry shrugged jerkily, "I didn't want to worry you.." his voice rasped. Lina's eyes brimmed with tears.  
  
"You.. Gourry, You can't leave me.. Not now!" she said, pleading, "Not like this!"  
  
Amelia blinked, her eyes filling with tears as well, "Gourry-san, you can't.." she said, then stopped, unable to say any more.  
  
Gourry coughed weakly, "Ironic." He said softly, "I wish I had died with more honor than this." He said.  
  
Lina put her hands on his shoulders, and softly shook, "No, Gourry, You can't die! I need you, Gourry!" she said, panicked.  
  
Silently, Zel walked forward. He motioned for Lina to move, eyes set in a mournful glassy look. Weakly, he placed a hand on Gourry's shoulder and said, "Gourry. You can go.. We give you our permission to die. And we honor you, for all you have done for us. Thank you."  
  
Gourry smiled, and sighed, "Thanks Zel.." he said, "Bye Lina, bye Amelia.." he said, smiling, "Maybe someday I'll see you all again." He said. He sighed, and his eyes closed. Gently, Zel took his body up, and blinked.  
  
Lina jumped up, "NO!" she shouted, "NO! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?! HOW COULD YOU LET HIM?" she said.  
  
Zel placed Gourry gently in the road, and turned away, "You think I wanted to have to do that? Lina, you could see he was in pain. He is released from it now. Do you think I won't miss him?"  
  
Amelia shook her head, "It came so quickly.. but. How?"  
  
Lina shrugged.. She started sobbing, "That.. Stupid. Jellyfish brains.." she choked between sobs. Her sobbing died down, and she finished the thought, "He said Maybe.. but where he's going, I know we'll all be together someday.." She cried again, over Gourry's body, and Amelia and Zel embraced her and each other, crying as well.  
  
With a start, Gourry awoke, and blinked. He looked out the window, and noticed that it was the middle of the night. He tried to remember what he had been dreaming about, but he couldn't. All he could remember was that Lina was really sad in it. 


	3. The Shining Star Falls

The Shining Star Falls

                "So, Amelia, how has Phil been lately?" Lina asked. Amelia smiled.

                "My father is as the sun of justice! Always shining like a warm light upon the good of our country!" Lina sweatdropped.

                "No, really.." she said. Amelia blinked.

                "Oh. Well, I suppose, as well as can be. Especially after that assassination scare. I'm so happy that we're going home to see my daddy!" she shouted happily. Zel sweatdropped, and turned to Gourry, saying sotto voce,

                "I'm not, I'm really kind of scared of that Philionel." He said. Gourry nodded. 

                "What you should be more afraid of is Amelia proposing to you." He said wisely. Zel facefaulted.

                "NO!" he said, "that won't happen!" Gourry shrugged. Amelia impatiently ran ahead, and the guards let her in with vim and vigor, smiling and waving at their little princess. Sooner than later, they were in the throne room, and Prince Phil was welcoming his daughter with a hug that would kill a weaker creature, but Amelia returned it with the same happiness and love of life. That was what she had always loved about her Daddy. 

                "Oh, Amelia, I'm so glad you're home! Your Uncle Christopher has come to visit his son's grave." He said. She smiled at her uncle, and ran over to hug him, albeit worriedly. He seemed to have a few more lines around his face than before. 

                She shrugged it off, and smiled at him, "Hello, Uncle Christopher!" she said brightly.

                Christopher regarded her with tired and sad eyes, "Hello Amelia, it's good to see you once again." He said, tiredly. 

                Amelia smiled, "Don't be sad." She whispered, but he shrugged and turned away. Zel, Lina, and Gourry walked in.

                "AH! Miss Lina!" Phil shouted, "It's so nice to see you!" 

                Lina smiled, "Hey, Phil, what's up?"  Lina said vaguely.

                "The castle turrets!" he said, then guffawed loudly, slamming Lina on the back. She coughed, and then laughed. 

                Later that night…

                "It's so nice to be back home…" Amelia said, thinking. 

                Lina scoffed, "Nice for YOU." She said. 

                Amelia was taken aback, "You don't like it here?" she asked. 

                Lina shook her head no, "NO.. I mean my home. I'm never going back there.." she said. 

                Amelia tilted her head, "Why not?" she asked. 

                Lina shuddered, "My sister's there." She said. 

                Amelia nodded knowingly, "Oh.. Yeah, I know a lot about scary sisters, but it seems not quite as much as you." She said. There was a knock at the door. Amelia sat up, "Come in!" she said. The door creaked open, but in the dark of the room, she couldn't see clearly who it was. 

                Lina stood, "Yes?" she said guardedly. The figure said not a word, but his arm whipped, faster than light. Lina heard a choking sound, and whirled, "AMELIA!" she said. Amelia had been hit by the dagger, right in the center of her chest, and she was bleeding. Zel and Gourry rushed in from the door joining their two rooms, flipping on the light. Amelia saw her uncle Christopher stare blindly at his hand. He could see blood upon it. She gasped, a strange sound coming from her lungs. 

                "ZEL! Do a healing spell, quick!" Lina shouted, then she whirled angrily on Christopher, "You." She said, her voice colder than ice, "You did this.. But why? You have no more claim to the throne.." she said. 

                Christopher turned to her, eyes wild, "You don't understand. It was her fault. It was her fault he had to die." He said. Lina gave him a hard look, and turned. Meanwhile, Zel was wrestling with the dagger, which was slippery with warm blood. They couldn't heal her unless it was pulled out. 

                He turned to Gourry, eyes frightened, "Help me!" he pleaded. 

                Gourry looked at the knife, which was lodged in the bone, "We can't save her without killing her first." He conjectured. 

                Zel shook his head, "No, that can't be!" he said, "Amelia, hold on!" he said. 

                Amelia smiled vaguely, "I'll try, Mr. Zelgadis." She said, that strange wheezing sound still coming from her lungs. 

                Lina turned back to Christopher, "She's your niece.. How could you?" she asked. 

                Christopher gestured wildly, "HE WAS MY SON, HOW COULD SHE?" 

                Lina sneered, and turned to help Amelia, "Is she going to make it?" she asked. 

                Gourry turned to her, "I don't know, Lina, it's dicey." He said, a tremble of fear in his voice. 

                Lina growled, "We're in a white magic capital and we can't find anyone to heal someone!?" she said. Zel shook his head.

                "That's not the problem." He said, adjusting his body so Lina could see the dagger lodged, hilt half in Amelia's body. Lina gasped. Amelia coughed wheezily.

                "I'm not going to make it, am I?" she asked. Lina's mouth set in a tight line.  
                "Of course you are, Amelia, who will be our shining star of justice if you don't?" she asked bitterly. Amelia laughed. 

                "Miss Lina.." she said, "Don't be too sad. Now I'm going to be with my mother.." she said. Her eyes took on a faraway look of concern, "Odd. This is just how she died. Except for she was almost all alone. All she had was my sister. But I have all of you."  Lina blinked back tears. Zel put his face in his hands.

                "No.. No.. no… no………." he said. Amelia eyes got a tinge of worry to them.

                "Mr. Zelgadis… Don't be sad. Christopher was sad and look where it got him." She said. Christopher looked up. He put his head in his hands and shook. 

                "What have I become…" he said quietly. His wildly searching eyes found no respite in the faces of the dying Amelia, the unforgiving Gourry, the mourning Lina, or the distraught Zelgadis, then settling on the window. His face hardened with resolve, "Tell my brother I am sorry." He said. Lina looked up, eyes filling with tears.

                "What?" she said, just as she saw him back up, and run for the window. He crashed through with a crash that rained glass on all who were there, Amelia flinching with the fright, and pain. In mid air, the tears that ran from Christopher's eyes mingled with the blood on his hands,  washing them clean. He smiled as he fell, holding his arms out like an angel. Lina and the others would have flinched at the sound his body made when it collided with the ground, but they couldn't hear it over the labored breathing of Amelia. Lina's eyes streamed.

                "Amelia, you can't.." she said. Amelia shook her head.

                "Goodbye Miss Lina, Gourry, Goodbye Zelgadis.." she said, her hand rising up to search.. he snatched it and pressed it to his face. She smiled, eyes unseeing, "I loved you.. did you know that?" she asked. Zel nodded.

                "I always knew, Amelia.. I always knew." She smiled. 

                "Good.. Because if you didn't know, it was almost as if it never happened…" she murmured, "And that would be a bigger tragedy."  He nodded. Amelia smiled.. and her hand fell away, the labored breathing that had filled the room dying away.. 

                Years later…

                "They're the same color as her hair." Lina said, placing a few black violets on a grave marked, "Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun" beneath the name, it read, "There is eternal justice where she resides." Lina turned away, her eyes streaming. Zel stood, head down, in the black robes he had worn since she died. A single tear fell, and landed upon a petal. Gourry knelt at the headstone, running a hand over its marble surface. Near the grave was another, reading "Christopher ul Brozzo Seyruun, by his hand, his soul was dirtied, by his body,  cleaned." 

                Amelia snapped awake, arms involuntarily slapping over her chest. She could almost still feel it. Lina rolled over in her sleep. Amelia's eyes were wide in the dark, but she lay back down, and eventually relaxed.


	4. A Cornerstone Collapses

A Cornerstone Collapsed  
  
"Zel?" called Lina, "Zel, where are you?"  
  
His head glided slowly up from behind a shelf of books, and his eyes were sparkling.  
  
"Zel?" Lina said, tilting her head nervously.  
  
"I.." he said in a hushed and awed voice, "I found it."  
  
"Mr. Zelgadis?" Amelia said, running up, out of breath, "What is it?" she said, confused, as he lifted a tattered tome.  
  
"The only remaining copy.." he said.  
  
"You found it?" Gourry shouted, "The last copy of 'Trollian Follies'?"  
  
"No, you idiot!" Lina shouted, elbowing him on the top of the head, "The very last copy of 'Restorative Brewes and Status Returning Spells.' It went out of print centuries ago, and it's the only book with the spell to return components missing."  
  
Zel nodded, eyes still fixed on the ragged and torn book, "Intrinsic Completion." he mumbled, stating the name of the spell, "It was written long before the book, and used to return lost limbs and organs. I-." He paused, his throat closing. This seemed to be the end of his hellish journey.  
  
"Zel." Lina said, walking quickly over to him, and placing a hand on his shoulder, "You're almost there. Now.. Don't do anything stupid."  
  
Zel turned, the tears quickly clearing up. He fixed her with an irritable gaze, "Like what?"  
  
"Like take this too quickly." Lina said, "I know you've been waiting so long for this, but I think we should take our time, copy it down. test it somehow!" she said.  
  
Zel averted his gaze, "I've waited long enough, Lina. You have to understand this." He said.  
  
Amelia and Gourry joined Lina, "We understand." Amelia said, "But.." she left the conjunction hanging in the air.  
  
Zel shook his head, "I can't.. you don't understand." He said, shaking his head, "I have to do it, just as soon as I can. Because I know.. something will happen. And I just can't risk that." He said, gathering up the book.  
  
Lina frowned. Something, to her, wasn't right. But she couldn't change that.  
  
Zel walked up the steps to the second basement of the large library. He roughly knocked the books off of a large table, and then hoisted himself upon it. He opened the book, and scanned the pages until he once again found the spell.  
  
He clutched the book to his chest, and looked up to the sky, "God in the endless darkness, Keeper of the holy heavens, hear me and believe. I have suffered long and hard, I have kept my promises. I have never, ever made myself cry. Please. Let this be the one. So that I can be normal again. Human again. So that I don't have to endure the dirty stares any more, or the women who grab their children out of the way as I pass, or those who run at the sight of me. Please, Lord, I can't stand it any longer. I never want to see that again. I don't want anyone to be afraid to merely look at me. Let this be the one.. that sets me free." He said, and then he ended his makeshift prayer, as the other three ran up the stairs.  
  
"Zel. I don't have a good feeling about this." Lina said, holding her hands up.  
  
Amelia nodded, "Mr. Zelgadis, those old spells sometimes lose their potency." She said.  
  
Zel shook his head, "I can't wait any longer. I know.." he paused, "I know this is not like me. But I've been patient enough. I don't want your pity, and I don't need your help. All I need is for you to believe in me."  
  
Gourry looked doubtful, "But Zelgadis.."  
  
"No buts." Zel said, "I've already waited too long." He lifted his arms, and Lina and Amelia felt the winds shift on the astral plane, as he called the magic to him. Mages for miles around felt the magic deplete, as it moved towards a more forceful will.  
  
When Zel's eyes opened, they were glowing. He opened his mouth and in a deep voice said, "Golden Goddess of all life, for thy sake is this being done. Forceful will of your servant, remakes this body anew. By the silver moon that glows, and the golden sun that shines, take this body, and return it to the state in which you created it. Mold this spirit, and take the life of this creature into your hands." there was a pause, and the room grew intensely warm. A goldeny blue light began to shine from Zel. Lina's eyes filled with tears, and she turned away.  
  
Zel smiled grimly, and shouted, "INTRINSIC COMPLETION!" throwing his arms to his sides.  
  
The next sound that the rest heard was a shout of agony, as every piece of Zelgadis was ripped apart.  
  
When the light faded, the others opened their eyes to a grisly sight. Blood had spattered over all of the walls, and Zel lie in the middle, unconscious.  
  
Amelia burst into tears and ran forward, stopping just before Zelgadis, "Miss Lina." she said, her voice hollow, "He.. he's human." Her hands shook, as she reached forward.  
  
Lina ran up, stopping her, "No, Amelia, we don't know." but she trailed off, as Zel shifted.  
  
He opened one eye, "Amelia." he said slowly, "Lina."  
  
Lina frowned, "Zel. a-are you all right?" she asked cautiously.  
  
Zel laughed a little, the laugh quickly disintegrating into a cough, "Oh. of.. of course." He said.  
  
"That's our Zel.." Gourry said, "Nothing can take him down." He smiled good naturedly, but stopped short as he reached Lina and Amelia, and finally got a good look at Zel. His face fell.  
  
"Gourry." Zel said, "What's wrong.."  
  
Gourry swallowed the lump in his throat, "Nothing." he said, "Lina, Amelia. can I speak to you?"  
  
Lina and Amelia looked up at him, puzzled, but then nodded.  
  
He took them aside, "Lina, something's wrong." He said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Lina asked skeptically.  
  
"He's not the same."  
  
Amelia exploded, "Of course not, Mr. Gourry, he's human now!"  
  
"No!" Gourry said, showing uncharacteristic vehemence, "You two. He was at such an angle that you couldn't see, but. but." he trailed off, "Just come here.." he said.  
  
He walked them around the room, and as they rounded Zel's body, Amelia gasped.  
  
Lina paled, bringing her hands to her lips, "Oh, Zel.." she said, tears welling up.  
  
"Lina." Zel said, his eyes focusing weakly, "What?" he said faintly.  
  
"Zel.. You.. You're not.." Lina stopped, her voice closing up.  
  
Zel attempted to turn his head. For some reason his body was at such an angle that he couldn't see his arms or legs. This was just as well, because they were no longer there. Where his legs and arms once were, there were now ragged stumps, slowly seeping blood.  
  
Gourry paused, "Zel, there's not enough of you." he said.  
  
Zel attempted to understand, "Oh." He said. There wasn't enough blood in his body for him to be able to think straight, and that which was there was quickly leaving him.  
  
Amelia collapsed to the ground, in shock. This was. this was. this was just like the way her mother died.  
  
Zel finally realized what was wrong. He was dying.  
  
Lina bent down to Zel's face, looking him in his eyes, "Zel.. The spell must not have been complete.. Something was missing. And instead of filling in where the human was taken out of you, it just removed all the non human parts."  
  
Zel weakly nodded.  
  
Lina's throat closed, and the next words came out in a squeak, "There wasn't.. there just wasn't. wasn't enough human left in you to make a whole body." She said.  
  
"So then. so..." Zel's voice was fading, "So I'm going to...die.?" he asked.  
  
Lina closed her eyes and looked away, unable to confirm it.  
  
Rising, Amelia roughly pushed her away, "Zelgadis-san. You. I."  
  
"Amelia?" Zel said, his voice as faint as a breeze, "I wish I could see you." he said, frowning. His eyes were out of focus, unable to see anything any longer.  
  
Amelia pressed her hand to his cold cheek, "I love you." she said.  
  
"Sou." Zel said faintly, and his lips curved up just so, "I knew." he said. His eyes closed, "I told them to do this." he said in a weak wheeze, "I asked them to. set me free.." As those words sailed out of his mouth, no breath went back in.  
  
Amelia drew her hand away as she felt the life leave what was left of his body.  
  
Putting her arms around Amelia, Lina stared without comprehending at Zel's broken body.  
  
Tenderly, Gourry lifted the bloodstained cloak that was half wrapped around Zel. He wrapped it around him, and lifted Zel up, eyes closed in a face that was a mask of pain, "Come on Zel.. it's time to go." He said.  
  
Teeth clenched, Zel rolled to his feet from his bed. Shocked, he pressed his hand to his face, surprised to feel a burst of relief when his ears detected the clack of stone on stone. He stood, looking over to the window, where the curtains glowed golden with the onset of dawn. 


	5. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
When Lina could stand laying in bed no longer, she rose, and descended the staircase. She was surprised to see Zel already sitting at a table in the inn, nursing a cup of coffee with his head in his hand.  
  
"Zel?" she asked.  
  
He looked up, eyes half lidded, and smirked, "Up early for you, aren't you?" he said, his voice rough from lack of sleep.  
  
"I couldn't sleep." She said, smiling sheepishly.  
  
Zel nodded, "Hm." He said.  
  
"I. I had a strange dream last night." Lina said.  
  
"Oh?" Zel said, "What about?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure." she lied, "I just remember that I was really out of character in it. All selfless and crap." She smiled.  
  
"That's out of character, for sure." Zel said.  
  
A slight creaking on the stairs announced Amelia's descent, "Good morning, Miss Lina, Mr. Zelgadis. It's time for a new day of justice!" she said, smiling forcedly.  
  
"Morning Amelia!" Lina greeted, "And how did you sleep?"  
  
Amelia's face soured, "Uh." she said, glancing at Zel, "Well."  
  
"Hn." Zel said, "Well as in, not too well.." he said.  
  
"Well, I had a bad dream. about my mother, sort of.." Amelia said.  
  
"Maybe this is the inn of bad dreams." Zel said, "Wouldn't that just be typical."  
  
"Yeah, well.. Where's Gourry?" The note of worry in her voice was erased as she said, "Ah, no matter, I'll just order some food before he gets here. Waiter!" she called.  
  
"Food!" Gourry said, running down the stairs.  
  
"Damn." Lina said, but her voice wasn't as angry as usual.  
  
"Is the food here yet, is it is it?" Gourry asked.  
  
"No." Lina said, "The waiter isn't even here."  
  
"Well, anyway, we were talking about the fact that none of us got very much sleep because of dreams.." Amelia said.  
  
"I never said that." Zel said petulantly.  
  
"Whatever." Lina said, "How about you, Gourry?"  
  
Gourry had taken a bowl of noodles from the counter and was eating it, "Umph." he said, swallowing, "I don't remember." He said.  
  
"Figures.." Lina mumbled.  
  
"I think I might have had a dream where Lina was really sad." he said. There was a pause, "Or angry.. I can't remember."  
  
"It was probably the second one," Amelia said, sighing.  
  
"Well, anyway, I want some food!" Lina said.  
  
And so, as life went on as usual for them, in her castle in the sky, LoN smirked, running a fingernail over her cheek. A servant frowned at the crystal ball she gazed into.  
  
"Mistress, why are you smiling? Weren't those dreams meant to change them? To make them do something different?" she asked.  
  
LoN waved her hand, "It's all right, but you cannot see. They have changed." The ball's image focused on Lina, looking at Gourry from the corner of her eye, Amelia sighing in the general direction of Zel, and Zel studiously looking at his coffee cup, and trying to avoid looking at anything.  
  
"Forgive me, but they seem the same as always.." the servant repeated.  
  
LoN waved her hand over the ball, darkening it, "That's all right, my dear. You won't be able to see the change for a long time. That's the way the world works. If they do not say something about it today, they will tomorrow or the next day, or even years in the future. That's just the way it is." She said.  
  
"If you say so, mistress.." the servant said doubtfully.  
  
LoN smiled, her face enigmatic as always, "Don't worry about it, my dear. It will all come in time.." she said.  
  
And so, with the forewarning dreams burning in their minds, the Slayers went on with their lives as usual. Who knows if they ever truly used this knowledge, these lessons given to them. Who knows if, if ever something like that happened to you, you wouldn't hide it away from yourself, and ignore the truth. Lessons are the same whether the knowledge is used or forgotten, it is the student who must make the choice.  
  
Author's note: To all those who read this far, congratulations! I didn't ever expect to finish this, just because my personality doesn't usually lend itself to being depressed. But the few times that it did, I wrote on this. When I finished it, it was not depressing at all. I'm glad you took the time to read this. If you didn't like it, I'm sorry. Email goes to DragonGirl17@AOL.com, ask me before you use it. Bye bye! 


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